Holt: Norwich players overlooked

Grant Holt feels playing for Norwich could be hampering the international ambitions of several players at the club.

PUBLISHED: 18:56, Mon, Feb 27, 2012

Grant Holt [PA]

Grant Holt feels playing for Norwich could be hampering the international ambitions of several players at the club.

Holt, 30, has more goals to his name than the likes of Darren Bent, Fraizer Campbell, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, all of whom were included in Stuart Pearce's experimental England squad for the friendly against Holland at Wembley.

Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy was also overlooked in favour of veteran Robert Green, while playmaker Wes Hoolahan has yet to feature in the Republic of Ireland's plans ahead of Euro 2012 and Holt said: "Like anyone, the dream is to play for your country, some fulfil it, some don't. There are a lot of people [in our squad] disappointed."

He added: "You look at Wes Hoolahan, who has not had an Ireland cap for a couple of years and has been one of the best Irish players for a long time; John Ruddy was overlooked, you might say it is a Norwich thing. We are not a big club, so maybe that is what it is.

"The lads will keep doing it for Norwich and then see where it takes them. If they keep working hard, then they will get noticed."

Holt scored his 10th league goal of the season against Manchester United at Carrow Road on Sunday, only for the visitors to grab a stoppage-time winner through Ryan Giggs.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was impressed by how Norwich approached the game, recovering from conceding an early goal to Paul Scholes to attack with purpose as they put centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans under pressure while also forcing David de Gea into a number of fine saves.

However, after Holt had swept home an equaliser with seven minutes left, Paul Lambert's men were unable to hold off the Red Devils onslaught, with Welbeck somehow missing his header from two yards before Giggs secured victory in stoppage time.

Holt feels the squad can learn from the experience as they prepare to tackle Stoke after the midweek internationals.

"Sometimes maybe there is a bit of naivety and we just have to tighten up a bit," Holt said. "But we will get this out of our head now, we played well but did not get anything out of it, so we will just go again at Stoke next week."